Support construction



. F. OCONNOR `SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION Filed July 25, 1931 Marcia 7, l

Patented Mar. 7, 1933 ARTHUR F.l OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

ASSIGNOR TO EQUIPMENT SPECIALTIES CORPORATION OIE", ILLINOIS SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION Application aieafruiy 25,

My invention relates in general to refrigerator apparatus and has more particular reference to railroad refrigerator cars, relating especially to a novel means for and E method of supporting the brine tanks there- 1n. v f

-Inlstructures of this general class heretofore provided, it has been the custom to support the brine tanks on a-steelstructure rest- :in-g in turn on metal pedestals, usually castings, supported upon the bottom of the drip pans, which are usually of galvanized-iron and which are ordinarily placed beneath the brine tanks to collect condensed moisture or other drippage from the tanks. Due to the weight of the loaded brine tanks and vibration of the refrigerator car in transit, the pedestals Vor support castings quickly wear holes throughithe bottom of the drip ,pansv with the result that water leaks out of the pansfand rots the wooden frameL of the car andthe expensive insulation below the drip pan.l The drip, pans, being also of galvanized-iron, are susceptible to rusting at the VIpoints where thercast iron pedestalsY rest thereon .Iso that deterioration ofthe parts in structures heretofore provided is relatively rapid. n j Y., l

iimportant .object of my invention .Ithereforeiis to provide means for supporting the brine tanks in such a way as to relieve thebottom of the drip pan from the con-y tributing causes `of deterioration.

Another important object of the invention isv to eliminate all metalbrine tank supports in the drip pan.'

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved support structure for brine tanks in which an adjustment is provided to accommodate for the sagging of the support frame, which vcomprises ay relatively long span across the width of the refrigerator car.

Another object of the invention is to provide truss rods for strengthening the frame and to render these rods adjustable taincrease the trussin-g effect-in order to offset sagging` of the structure. e

Another feature'of my inventionv resides in the ,method of securing the ends of the trussvrods on the frame. Y

17931.` .Setial N0. 553,234.

Numerous other objects and advantages fer-red embodiment yof the invention.

Referring to the drawing: A .Y Figure 1 isla Alongitudinal section taken through the end ofra refrigerator car having Vwill `be vunderstood, from the following ydescription, which taken in connection withV j the accompanyingdrawing, discloses a, prea brine tank support construction embodying my present 'invention ;V

Figure 2 is a verticalsection taken substantially along the line 2-'2in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the brine tank support embodying my o present invention; j

Figures 4 and 5 are vertical sections taken substantially along, the'lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively in Figure 3; and

Figure. 6 is a perspective viewof the brine tank support structure.

on they drawing, the end of a refrigerator car Y .7o L'lfovillust'rate my invention, I have shown f Y 11 having a lloor12,side and end wallsv13,

andava roof structure 141 of any suitable or desired construction, the whole being mounted on bogies 15 in the lusual `manner employed in the construction of railroadl rolling stock.

'The walls, floor and roof of the car 11 are provided with insulation 16 ina manner well knownin the art, which insulation may be of any suitable or desired form and construction. l

Theend of the car is preferably provided with a lateral partition 17 vdividing the car I into a goods compartment 18 and a compartment 19 at the end of the car for housing the brine ,tanks 20. A drip pan 21, preferably formed as a shallow galvanized iron pan, eX- tending lengthwise preferably completely throughout the width of the compartment 19 and having its end edges engaging the inner faces of the opposite side walls 13, and arranged'on vthe floor of the compartment 19- with anedge preferably engaging the inner surface of the end wall 13. Thepdrip pan 21 may, of course, be of any usual or preferred construction and the brine tanksare carried on -a support structure 22 illustrated in entirety in Figure 6 of thedrawing and which comprises preferably a rframe of angle irons, which rests at its opposite ends on preferably wooden blocks 23, which are or may be positioned in the opposite ends of the drip pan.

Y The support member 22 comprises a pair of spaced apart longitudinal frame members 24, the ends of which are fastened and connected in spaced relationship by angle irons 25 at opposed endsof the frame. The members 24 preferably comprise angle irons 26 and truss members 27 comprising a strap fastened at their opposed ends to the ends of the horizontal flanges 28 of the angle irons 26, the ends of the strips 27 being provided with bent lips 29 extending around and into engagement with the end edges of the horizontal flanges 28, and the strap 27 being riveted or otherwise secured as bythe fasteners 30 near the ends of the horizontal flanges 28 as shown in Figure 5 ofthe drawing. The center portions of the members 24 also are connected together by a connecting and spacing member 31, the opposite ends of which are" Vbolted or otherwise secured preferably to the horizontal flanges 28 of the members.

l prefer,liowever, to provide each member with a plate 32, which is riveted or otherwise secured as by the fastening` members 33 to the vunderside of the horizontal flange 28. The plates extend inwardly and provide means to which the opposite ends ofthe spacing bar 31 may be secured as by means of the bolts 34. rlhe members 26 also are provided with a perforation 35 preferably at the middle of the horizontal flange 28and the plate 32, being applied to the flange at this point, is also provided with a perforation 36 in alignment with the perforation 35. The strap`27 also is provided, immediately beneath the aligned perf-orations 35 and 36, with a fitting 37 bolted o-r otherwise secured thereto, which fitting preferably carries an upstanding threadedfshank 38, the upper end of which is adapted to extend into and through the channel provided by the perforations 35 and 36. The threaded shank 38 is Vor may be provided with an adjusting nut 39 and a lock nut 41, the former being adapted to engage the under surface ofthe plate 32 so that by adjusting the nut 39 on the threaded shank 38, the mid-portions of the truss strap 27 may be forced away from the angle iron 26 and since the strap 27v is fastened to the ends of the member 26, an adjustablev trussing action is thus provided. The lock nut 41 is, of course, to secure the adjusting nut 39 in adjusted position on the shank 38 as is well known in the art.

'The longitudinal truss members 24 rest upon and are secured on the horizontal flange 42 of the end members 25, which are preferably relieved as at 43 to receive the projecting ends of the fastening members 30, which extend downwardly of the strap 27; and one of the truss members 24, that one which extends adjacent the end wall 13 of the refrigerator car when the support is assembled in operative position, is preferably positively fastened to the end members as by the nutted bolt 44. The other truss member, however, is preferably formed to simply rest upon the flanges 42 of the end members and is held in place by means of angle brackets 45, one arm 46 of which extends upwardly and engages the vertical flange of the angle arm 26 and the other arm 47 of which is secured to the flange 42 as by means of the bolts 48 or any other suitable fastener. By means of thisconstruction, the front truss member 24 may be readily removedin order to facilitate the demounting of the brine tanks 20, it being merely necessary to removethe bolt 34 by which said front member is fastened to i thespacing member 31 to 'permit the front member 24 to be raised in the frame, the brine tanks being slightly tipped back on their rearmost edgesto permit the front truss member 24 to be removed after whichthe brine tanks may be readily moved forwardly out o f the compartment 19, it being understood, that the partition 17 is removable for.y

The horizontal flanges 28 also are provided with preferably wooden slats 49, which are secured to the upper surface of the flanges 28, as byV means of the fastening members 50,'.

which are preferably countersunk beneath the upper surface of t-he slats. The brine tanks 20 rest at their front and rear edges on thewooden slats 49. Y

As a result of this construction, the relatively inexpensive, readily replaceable slats will wearout rather than the more expensive,

dillicultly replaceable brine tanks withire-V lsulting operating economy.' .l

It willbe noted also that the support frame is mounted in the drip pan on wooden blocks 23, which are preferably bolted to the horizontal flanges ofthe :end members, said flanges being provided' with perforations 51 by which such bolting'may. be accomplished so that herefagain thewear 0n. the drip pan is considerably reduced since Y the weight of the support frame is carried to the drip pan through the relatively large wooden blocks 23. These blocks .obviously are relatively inexpensive and may be easily replaced when worn, or'otherwise damaged in service; Y

The Aunusual strength and rigidity provided inthe frame by they truss strap 27 and the adjustment accomplished by means of the threaded shank 38 and nut 39 is extremely valuable in that it prevents the longitudinal frame members from sagging and also provides means for straightening the member in order to odset any sagging which may be im-vy parted in the frame because of the relatively heavy Yloaded brine tanks. By adjusting the nut 39 from time to time, the frame may lof the truss rod or strap is bent around theV end of the support member.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous lchanges may be made in the form, construction, andarrangement of the several parts Without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages; the form herein described being a preferred r embodiment for the purpose of illustrating my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. The combination, with a refrigerator compartment having brine tanks and a drip pan, of a support structure for said brine tanks in said drip pan, and blocks of relatively soft,.easywearing material disposed in the drip pan under the opposite ends of the support.

2. The combination, with a refrigerator compartment having brine tanks and a drip pan, of a support structure for said brine tanks comprising a longitudinal truss member, and blocks of relatively easy-wearing material detachably mounted .on oppositeends of the frame in position to support said frame in said drip pan.

3. The combination, with a refrigerator compartment having brine tanks and a drip pan, of a support structure for said brine tanks comprising a frame having longitudinal truss members and end pieces to which the ends of the support members are connected in spaced relationship and means in said drip pan for supporting the end pieces.

4. The combination, withV a refrigerator compartment having brinetanks and a drip pan, of a support structure for said brine tank comprising a substantially rectangular frame having a longitudinal member, a truss member for the longitudinal member and means to adj ustthe truss member, end pieces engaging and supporting the longitudinal member in position tol support the brine tanks and means in the drip pan to carry said end members.

5. The combination, with a refrigerator compartment having brine tanks and a drip pan, of means to support thev brine tanks comprising a substantially rectangular frame providing spaced-apart, longitudinal support members on which the brine tanks are mounted, means to maintain the support members in spaced tank-supporting position' and means to support the rectangular frame' above the drip pan, ay said longitudinal support member comprising a beaniand a truss` associated with said beam to maintain .it in substantial non-sagging condition.

6. The combination, with a refrigerator compartment having brine tanks and a drip pan, of means to support the brine ,tanks comprising a substantially rectangular frame providing spaced-apart, longitudinal support members on which the brine tanks are mounted, means to maintain the support members in spaced tank-supporting.position and means to support the rectangular frame above the drip pan, a'said longitudinal support member comprising a beam, a truss associated with said beam to maintain it in substantial non-sagging condition and means to adjust the truss.

7 A support structure comprising a frame having a longitudinal truss member on which to support brine tanks and the like, said support member comprising a beam, a truss connected at its opposite ends to the opposite ends of the beam, threaded means co-operating betweenfthe beam and the truss strap intermediate the ends thereof for adjusting the trussing action and supporting means at the ends of the beam. v

8. A support structure comprising a frame having a pair of spaced apart support members on which to carry brine tanks and the like, end members engaging and supporting f the support members in position to receive and support the brine tanks, one of said support members being securely fastened at its opposite ends to the end members and another of the support members having its ends unfastened so that it can be readily removed from the structure to permit dismounting of the brine tanks therefrom.

9. A support structure comprising a frameV having a longitudinal truss member on which to carry brine tanks and the like, said support member comprising a beam, a truss member connected atvits opposite ends to the opposed ends of the beam, said truss member being fastened to a side of the beam near the end thereof and having a portion extending to and around the end of the beam whereby the engagement of said truss member with the end of the beam may reduce the shear at the point of attachment thereof on the side of the beam.

10. A support structure comprising a substantially rectangular frame providing spaced apart longitudinal support members on which to carry brine tanks andthe like, said longitudinal support members comprising angle irons arranged in the frame with f their vertical flanges facing outwardly and lio" fastened at its opposite ends to the opposed ends of the support members and an adjustable spacing member extending between the medial'portions of the support member and the strap, end members engaging the opposite ends of the support members to carry the same in spaced-apart, tank-supporting position and blocks of relatively resilient, easy-'Wearing` material detachably mounted jto the end members` and extending downwardly thereof to furnish support for said frame.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. l

ARTHUR F. OCONNOR. 

